Boost for Merrigan ahead of title fight

Oughterard’s Bryan Merrigan was given a huge boost ahead of next month’s All Ireland fight when he claimed a valuable victory on Saturday night in Ashbourne, Co Meath.

The Black Dragon kickboxer took out Anand Apert from Dublin in the second round by TKO with a barrage of unanswered punches and the referee stepped in to save Apert from further punishment. Merrigan is taking on Muay Thai specialist Josh Tannian from Spartans Thai Boxing camp in Cork in an IKF All Ireland title fight in the Menlo Park Hotel on December 3.

Martin Murray from Claregalway was also on the card on Saturday night and he gave a masterclass performance under K-1 rules when he took a unanimous decision over Kieran Stapleton from Wicklow Martial Arts.

The main event was Charlie Ward from Castlepark against tough Dubliner Evan Walker and this was set for four rounds.

These two had met earlier in the year under K-1 rules, but this time it was under conventional kickboxing rules and the outcome was the same - Ward sailed to a unanimous points victory dropping the game Walker with a left hook to the jaw in the third round.